The PEGG
May, 2000
Sue
Evison Sworn in as
APEGGA President
History was made at APEGGA's 2000 Annual Meeting on April 28 in Edmonton as Sue Evison, P.Eng., was sworn in as the first woman President in the Association's 80-year history.
Ms. Evison is manager of business development and a senior geotechnical engineer with Klohn Crippen Consultants Ltd. in Calgary. After taking her oath of office, she thanked those, including members of her family, who made it possible for her to assume the APEGGA presidency. She said she was"humbled" by the support she received from the membership.
Ms. Evison noted that the professions represented within APEGGA, as indeed are other professions, are evaluating their relevancy as professionals' exclusive claim and access to certain knowledge are drawn into question.
"We are firmly pursuing the relevancy of APEGGA," and this will be a top priority in the coming year, Ms. Evison explained. She added that getting to the "essence of the issue" will require "a clear understanding of being a professional" in today's rapidly changing technological, economic and social climate.
In addition to Ms. Evison, who served as APEGGA's 1st Vice-President in 1999-2000, the results of the 2000 Council elections, announced at the AGM, resulted in the following being elected or rejoining Council: 1st Vice-President Dale Miller, P.Eng.; 2nd Vice-President Gordon Williams, P.Geol., PhD; and as Councillors, Nima Dorjee, P.Eng.; Ron Triffo, P.Eng.; Shawn Morrison, P.Eng., and Peter Putnam, P.Geol., PhD.
Following up on debate at the 1999 AGM on possibly paying APEGGA presidents an honorarium, former president Dan Motyka, P.Eng., outlined to the 2000 AGM plans, endorsed by Council, to review the demands placed on the Association's president. Mr. Motyka noted that because of the adoption of a new governance model in the mid-1990s, there have been changes in the role and expectations placed on the president. A five-member Council committee (including a Public Member) to be chaired by Mr. Motyka, will analyse the issue and report to next year's AGM.
Darrel Danyluk, P.Eng., offered some reflections on his past year as APEGGA President, suggested that the implementation of an inter-association mobility agreement facilitating movement of professional engineers among Canadian jurisdictions was a major achievement. "It has really strengthened the professions across the country," said Mr. Danyluk.
The proclamation of a new Registered Professional Technologist (Engineering) designation under the Engineering Geological and Geophysical Professions Act was, he said, "a step in the right direction in a changing world". However, he cautioned, "we have to be vigilant about how it will impact on the Association." Implementation of new statute of limitation legislation in Alberta, reducing the period in which professionals maintain legal liability for past projects, places Alberta in a leadership position within Canada and North America.
There is, the departing President said, a continuing need to alert APEGGA's membership of developments such as the statute of limitations and the mobility agreement. Mr. Danyluk said he had enjoyed the many opportunities throughout the year to participate in events relating to students, life members, member inductions and branch visits.
He paid tribute to members of APEGGA Council who showed a very "open-minded and professional approach" in debates, dialogues and discussions. He lauded an Executive Committee unafraid to make tough decisions and, in thanking staff, noted APEGGA Executive Director Neil Windsor's "good, plain, Newfoundland common sense." He also thanked his firm, Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd. and his family for putting up with the many absences necessitated by APEGGA business.
Canadian Council of Professional Engineers Chair Richard Hancock, P.Eng., thanked APEGGA for its contributions to the national body and CCPE Alberta Director Fred Otto, P.Eng., PhD, reported on representations CCPE has made to a panel examining the software engineering issue. He added "significant progress is being made." (See also related news item) Gordon Williams, P.Geol., PhD, brought greetings from the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists and its chair, Hugh Miller, P.Geo., PhD. Advances continue to be made across Canada on registration of geoscientists and recent developments in Ontario are particularly encouraging, Dr. Williams said.